In December 2005 a Needs Assessment for a cancer centre was conducted in Ethiopia with aim to identify the needs and limitations of the existing institutions in the diagnosis, treatment and care of cancer patients. The findings indicate the desperate and urgent cancer situation in the country.
Summary Findings: Cancer Care in Ethiopia
In the absence of population-based or even institution-based cancer registries, there is no reliable information and data on the incidence, prevalence, or pattern of cancer.
Cancer is lumped into the broad category of non-communicable diseases of the MOH structure, without assigned personnel or resource allocation.
To date, there have been no initiatives to highlight the issue of cancer and its impact and it remains totally neglected and unaddressed at all levels.
There is one Cobalt Machine (established in 1997) for an estimated population of 80 million and an estimated annual cancer incidence case of 65-150,000 cases. Patients are referred from all the regions in the country. Many of the patients who come from outside Addis Ababa do not have a place to stay. The majority go back with their pain and suffering, to die in their homes.
Health workers lack training even in basic skills and knowledge of cancer care and management
Chemotherapy drugs are, for the most part, unavailable and/or unaffordable to the majority of those who need them. There is low awareness at all levels, of the rapidly increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS-related cancers, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma, lymphoma, and cervical cancer.
Our main goal is to build a hospital that accommodates the cancer patients. At present we are working closely with Black Lion hospital doctors with hospital requirements and needs.
While in the process of building the hospital, we are planning to equip Black Lion hospital for urgent care services and train the doctors and nurses in use of the new equipment.
We have divided our entire project into segments so that we can accomplish each one of them in a timely manner.